Method of ream collecting single sheets



METHOD OF 'REAM COLLECTING SINGLE SHEETS F/ f INVENTOR BY Semmesm'semmes ATTRNEYS Aug. 26, 1969 l.. T. ATwooD METHOD OF REM COLLECTING SINGLE SHEETS Filed ont.L 2, 1968 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 a mm .www

INVENTOR f// BY Semmesandsemmes ATTORNEYS l.. T. ATwooD 3,463,485

v5 Sheets-Sheep 5 INVENTOR BY SemmeSm/Semmes ATTORNEYS Aug. 26, 1969 METHOD OF REAM COLLECTING SINGLE SHEETS Filed Oct. 2, 1968 METHOD OF `BEAM COLLECTING SINGLE A.SHEETS Filed oct; a. 196s 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR www z ,Qn/aaa BY Semmesausemmes ATTORNEYS Aus. 26.1969 1 T. ATWQQD 3,463,485

METHOD OF REAM COLLEGTINGVSINGLE SHEETS INVENT OR BY Semmesandsemmes ATTGRNEKS United States Patent O U.S. Cl. 271-89 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Conveyors, an in-line method of collecting single sheets in a stack or ream.

Method of ream collecting a plurality of single sheets, including backstopping the sheets against advancing while laterally and vertically supporting the sheets in a stack and jogging the trailing edges of the stack against the backstopping. As the stack of the desired height is formed, backstopping, supporting and jogging are vertically withdrawn from the stack which is laterally removed from the conveyor line. By ream-collecting in superposed areas adjacent a single conveyor, the ream from one area can be removed while the other area is being stacked so as to provide continuous ream collecting.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention Paper sheet collecting systems usually embody a transportation system such as upper and lower conveyor belts or tapes which advance single flat sheets or stacks of flat sheets individually and successively along a path at high speed in single lines or in laterally spaced multiple lines into single or multiple confinement areas Where the sheets lose their forward motion and begin to stack one on top of the other until a specied number have accumulated such as 500 sheets, which is generally referred to as a ream.

It has long been the custom to collect flat sheets of paper and other thin materials by employing a device known as a layboy. As a stack becomes too high to receive more sheets, the supporting base is automatically lowered. When a desired number of sheets are counted out and stacked, a tag or other identifying markers is inserted between the sheets, a new count is started, and the stack continues to grow until it is about ve feet high. After the maximum height of the layboy has been reached, the operation is halted completely until the finished stack is removed and a new stack can be started.

According to present method, continuous operation of at least two stacking areas is provided and a single sheet diversion system may be employed in order to deliver a predetermined number of sheets into one stack while the other finished stack is being removed. By this method stacks may be limited to the exact count required and identifying cards or tags may be omitted. Although this depicts only one stacking area, others may be inserted into the sheeting system vby employing a sheet diverting system such as my recent invention which is under study in the patent oliice at this time.

Description of the prior art lIn the prior art both backstopping of the leading edges of the advancing single sheets and jogging of the trailing edges, so as to form -a stack are well known. However, the prior art devices generally require that the advancing conveyor be shut down completely for removal of the stack. This removal is usually accomplished by downward movement of the stack with respect to the backstopping and jogging.

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See for example Faeber (3,231,100), FIGS. 7, l0, and 2l wherein the stacking members are removed down, then retracted upwardly.

Haselow (3,205,741) employs rock shaft 147 to activate jogger 148.

In MeyerJagenberg (3,224,761) compressed air is used to guide the sheets into a stack.

Buccicone (3,256,010) and Lindemann (3,285,607) are typical of the complex stacking devices developed around the vertical removal concept. Buccicone shows adjustable edge aligning features and Lindemann employs a retractory jogger.

Domville (2,392,032), FIG. 2, gathers his stacks in wheeled devices which are laterally removable, but requires shutdown of the conveyor lined during removal.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention the advancing sheets are backstopped along their leading edges and collected by vertically and laterally supporting the sides, while jogging the trailing edges against the backstopping. As a ream of sheets are collected in a stack, the backstopping, supporting and jogging elements are longitudinally withdrawn away from the edges of the stack, then the stack is laterally removed on an endless belt `or like conveyor. By supporting ream collecting areas in superposed relationship withrespect to an advancingl conveyor, single sheets may be diverted and collected as a stack in one are-a, while they are being removed as a stack in another superposed area, thus providing continuous collecting and removal. This capability is not inherent in the prior art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. l is a partially fragmentary perspective View of superposed collecting areas, the one at the top shown in an attitude of collecting, while the one at the Ibottom is shown in an attitude of lateral removal of the stacks;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary top plan of a proposed ream collecting device, showing the backstopping and jogging elements contacting the leading and trailing edges of the paper stack;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary top plan showing the engagement of the trolley supporting sprocket with the guide track;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along section line 4-4 of FIG. 2, showing backstopping element 123 abutting the leading edges of the sheets, while the jogger element abuts the trailing edges of the sheets;

FIG, 5 is a fragmentary vertical section, showing the backstopping adjusting element in backstopping position;

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view as in FIG. 4 showing the backstopping and jogging elements longitudinally removed away vfrom stack 7 edges so that. the stack may be removed laterally;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary vertical section as in FIG. 5, showing the backstopping elements in their furthermost position of withdrawal;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective of the backstopping and supporting trays extended to form a ream collecting tray; and

FIG. 9 is a perspective of the backstopping and supporting trays longitudinally Withdrawn to permit lateral removal of the collected ream.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Well known sources of sheets 1, FIGS. l and 2, supply these sheets 1 in an uninterrupted equally-spaced line. When the machine width allows, these lines may be continuous and laterally spaced. Transportation means such as conveyor belts or tapes deliver sheets 1 into adjustable trays 111 and 112, composed of backstop 123, jogging plate 104, and a removable base 119 and side wall 116. A stack or pile of sheets 7 is assembled between the above mentioned members directly above a conveyor 8. When the removable base 119 and side walls 116 are withdrawn, the pile or piles 7 are deposited on said lateral conveyor means and removed laterally from the collecting area in either direction.

It is evident that the stacks 7 will be restricted in lateral movement if backstop 123 and jogging plate 104 are not withdrawn away from stack 7 in a longitudinal direction prior to lateral removal of the stacks.

Jogging plate 104 is given a jogging or vibrating motion by the action of drive shaft 105 rotating on one axis supported by bearings 134 while ybearings 135, mounted on the same shaft but on another axis such as 916 oi center, is giving spring housing and slide bar 94 a longitudinal motion equal to the oi center action of 135. As long as support brackets 95 and 96 are located as shown in FIG. 4, newly arriving sheets of paper will be vibrated toward backstop 123 and with the added restrictions of side walls 116 form a neat stack 7. To withdraw jogging plate 104 to a position shown in FIG. 6, the above mentioned support brackets 95 and 96 are pivoted in a counter clockwise direction as clearly shown by comparing FIGS. 4 and 6. Push rod 36 derives its motion in perfect timing with the withdrawal of the base 117 and side wall 116 by having a preloaded connection against cam 60 which in turn receives its rotation from the same source through sprocket 56 which is connected to main drive shaft 184 by roller chain.

As previously stated, backstop 123 must also move longitudinally to provide clearance for stack 7 to Ibe removed by the conveyor 8 in a lateral direction. As illustrated in FIG. 6, backstop 123 is adjustably attached to slide base 88 by stud 131. Slide base 88 is spring loaded to a forward position within a slotted confinement of support plate 85 by spring 186. Connecting rods 97 are attached to slide base 88 and loosely supported from plate 85 by slide block 98. As the trolley shown in FIGS. 4 and moves the attached base 119 and side walls 116 to the right, clips 139 slide over the rods 97 until they reach stop nut 189. Continued movement of trolley forces the connecting rods 97 to slide to the right pulling attached slide base 88 and backstop 123 a distance equal to the rod 97 travel as limited by the location of slide block 98 and the adjustable position of stop nut 189.

Longitudinal movement of the trolley supporting base plates 119 and side walls 116 may be best understood by consulting FIGS. 4 and 6. These base plates 119 and side walls 116 henceforth to `be referred to as trays, have additional support by attachment to shaft 106 through pillow block 197. Shaft 106 does not rotate but serves to align all trays together and its ends serve as studs for mounting the combination gear and sprocket 102. The sprocket portion of the combination is a member of a live-sprocket drive system consisting of 102, 180, 107, and 29 as illustrated in FIG. 3. Idler sprockets 107 are attached to guide plate 99 in exact alignment to insure that the departure of roller chain 3 from sprocket 180 and the approach of this chain to sprocket 29 is on the same center line. This not only allows a near maximum chain contact with 102, it also eliminates the need for a spring or air loaded chain take-up device. When drive shaft 184 turns clockwise, FIG. 4, roller chain 3 acts to turn sprocket and gear 102 clockwise and, thus, the gear portion actually walks along gear rack 35 moving shaft 106 and all attachments to it to the position shown by FIG. 6. Since the `base plate 119 of the tray is attached to both 106 and to the trolley, it experiences the same longitudinal movement.

The only xed member of this system is support 85, which is supported by shaft 63 between plate frames 20 and 21. This frame pivots on drive shaft 84 and can be leveled or inclined slightly by adjusting jackscrew 4. An ideal adjustment of frames 20 and 21 allows just enough forward tilt of the assembly to insure contact between the tray bases 116 and a plastic wear strip 5.

I claim:

1. Method for ream collecting single sheets comprising:

(A) sequentially advancing a plurality of single sheets along a conveyor line;

(B) backstopping the leading edges of said Sheets against advancing;

(C) supporting said sheets vertically and laterally as a stack intermediate said conveyor line and Said backstopping v (D) jogging the trailing edges of said sheets 1n said stack toward said backstopping;

(E) longitudinally withdrawing backstopping, supporting and jogging from said stack; and

(F) laterally removing said stack away from said conveyor line.

2. Method of ream collecting as in claim 1, including sequentially advancing said sheets along an endless conveyor inclined towards said supporting said sheets as a stack.

3. Method of ream collecting as in claim 2, wherein said withdrawing of backstopping and supporting is longitudinally away from the leading edges of the sheets and said withdrawing of jogging is longitudinally away from the trailing edges of said sheets.

4. Method of ream collecting as in claim 3, including laterally removing said stack by a conveyor engaging said stack from beneath substantially in the same plane as said supporting vertically of said stack.

5. Method of ream collecting as in claim 4, including:

(G) advancing single sheets along said conveyor sideby-side in two parallel lines;

(H) independently backstopping, supporting and laterally jogging each said line;

(I) simultaneously releasing backstopping, supporting,

and jogging; and

(J) laterally withdrawing both said stacks` 6. Method of ream collecting as in claim 5, wherein said jogging is in a plane transverse to said advancing and parallel to said backstopping,

7. Method of ream collecting as in claim 6, including limiting withdrawing of backstopping and supporting to the dimensions of the particular sheets being collected.

8. Method of ream collecting as in claim 7, including aligning jogging and backstopping along the axis of said longitudinally advancing sheets.

9. Method of ream collecting as in claim 8, wherein said supporting of said sheets vertically is extended heneath said backstopping and said supporting of said sheets laterally is extended through said backstopping.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,205,794 9/1965 Califano 271-29 X EDWARD A, SROKA, Primary Examiner U.S. C1. X.R. 214-6 

